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With less than 48 hours for the 2021 NBA draft to be held, most NBA teams will be looking at possibly moving up or using their picks as potential assets before 29th July.
While the draft regularly results in surprises and last-minute deals both before and after, most outlets expect Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham to emerge as the number 1 pick, owned by the Detroit Pistons.
Regardless, a number of last-minute deals and questions with respect to team-styles might make the NBA draft entirely different from what is expected.
In this article, we look at everything that you should know about the 2021 NBA draft.
What time does the 2021 NBA Draft start?
The 2021 NBA draft is scheduled to begin at 5 PM ET on 29th July. The 2021 NBA draft class is not expected to rank among the best classes of all-time. However, there are multiple star prospects and other potential wildcards who might end up being drafted sooner than expected. This includes the 24-year old Chris Duarte who is being looked at by the Warriors, LA Lakers and New York Knicks despite not being expected to be among the top 10 picks.
What channel will the 2021 NBA Draft be on?
While most NBA fans might not consider the draft to be “compulsory viewing,” the 2021 NBA draft will be telecast on ABC and ESPN apart from being available to be live-streamed on multiple streaming services such as FuboTV, SlingTV Premium and all other streaming services that offer the aforementioned channels. The 2021 NBA draft can also be watched by viewers who have access to ESPN on the WatchESPN online streaming service. While the ABC network will only telecast the first round of the draft, ESPN will telecast both the first and the second rounds.
Which teams have the top 10 draft picks?
As mentioned above, the number 1 pick for the 2021 NBA draft is owned by the Detroit Pistons. While there is further “trading-up or down” that multiple NBA teams can engage in before 29th July, the top 10 draft picks are currently owned by the following teams:
- Detroit Pistons
- Houston Rockets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Toronto Raptors
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Golden State Warriors (from Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Orlando Magic (from Chicago Bulls)
- Sacramento Kings
- Memphis Grizzlies (from New Orleans Pelicans)
The most recent change in the draft picks happened when the New Orleans Pelicans traded the number 10 pick to the Grizzlies in a deal involving Jonas Valancuinas, Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams.
Which players are expected to be drafted as the top 5 picks this year?
Based on multiple outlets and current expectations, the following players are expected to be the top-5 draft picks this year: (The list is not in chronological order)
- Jonathan Kuminga: G League Ignite
- Jalen Suggs: Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Jalen Green: G League Ignite
- Evan Mobley: USC Trojans
- Cade Cunningham: Oklahoma State Cowboys.
